The Dark

The Dark was released in early 2000 as the second single from Anouk's album Urban Solitude. Compared to the energetic sound of R U Kiddin' Me, the song revealed a darker and more experimental side of Anouk's music.

The single appeared in two different editions: a 2-track version in a cardboard sleeve and a 4-track edition in a plastic jewel case. Both versions included a live recording of Lovin' Whiskey by Rory Block, originally performed by Anouk during the Dutch television program 't Dak eraf alongside Eric Corton.

In The Dark, Anouk references one of her musical heroes, French singer Charles Aznavour. The song had already been performed live during concerts in 1998 and 1999 before eventually being released as a single. The track also introduced subtle hiphop and spoken-word influences, for which Anouk was coached by E-life, something relatively unusual for her at the time.

The surreal videoclip was directed by Dutch artist Rosto and featured Anouk in two roles: the blonde Anouk and the darker alter ego Manouk. Set against brightly coloured backgrounds, the fantasy-inspired clip gradually transformed the band members into devil-like figures and became one of the most visually distinctive videos from the Urban Solitude era.